A Moment Like This
by KyoxSakiFan
Summary: On a peaceful day, Judai decides to bring Johan to one of his favorite spots to hang out. But what starts out as a normal friends day out, turns into something more when Judai accidentally let’s his feelings slip. “Johan, will you kiss me?” Spiritshipping


A Moment Like This

Romance/General

Setting: Takes place sometime in the middle of season 3, before the whole Dark world ark etc. When everything was NORMAL. Well, sort of.

Pairing: Johan x Judai

Summary: On a peaceful day, Judai ends up hanging out with Johan at his favorite spot. But what starts out as a normal friends day out, turns into something more when Judai accidentally let's his feelings slip. "Johan, will you kiss me?"

Warnings: CONTAINS SHONEN-AI! That means ROMANTIC love between two boys! I do not want any flames! Don't like, don't read!!

Note: BTW Tome is Dorothy for those who don't know her Japanese name. J I looked it up. Also, I give Rumiko Takahashi (The author of InuYasha) the credit for half the dream sequence, since I got the idea from InuYasha's dream of Kikyou and Kagome when Kikyou takes the Jewel shards from Kagome. J And also from the third movie.

It was a peaceful Saturday morning at Duel Academy, which meant no school for most students; the exceptions being those with detention. Judai, for once not being on that list for he managed an entire week of perfect attendance, was surprisingly up and moving about. This was quite unusual, for the brunet liked to sleep in until past noon whenever he got the chance. So it was rather unsurprising that he received several strange looks when he strode into the cafeteria at 12 past nine.

"Aniki!" Judai smiled warmly at Shou, who was waving from the far corner of the lunchroom, a piece of toast already in hand. Kenzan was sitting beside him, looking anything but happy at the moment. Judai would have stopped to ponder the dinosaur duelist's melancholy attitude had the smell of Tome's breakfast special not been far too enticing to think about anything else.

After thanking Tome and grabbing a plate of what he assumed to be pancakes, Judai sat down between Kenzan and Shou, who had both scooted over on the bench to give him enough room. "Morning aniki! Are you okay? You're not usually up this early!"

Chuckling, Judai shoveled a few pancakes down his throat, ignoring the odd looks he was receiving from onlookers due to his horrible table manners. "Don't worry Shou, I'm fine. Just didn't sleep very well, that's all."

Instead of reassuring his friend, this piece of information only succeeded in worrying the poor boy further. Judai not being able to sleep was just as likely as Ryou laughing, which the chances were about zero out of well…zero. After all, sometimes it seemed like all Judai ever did was sleep, while they were in class anyway. A terrible habit that usually landed him in detention regularly, much to Cronos' dismay.

"That's odd, you usually sleep like a rock. Are you sure there's nothing bothering you?" Kenzan voiced after Judai had finished his third helping of the flowery cakes. "Jeeze, do you ever breathe don!?"

Judai laughed openly, not caring how many people thought he was insane due to his seemingly random laughter. "I'm sure, stop worrying so much! You're starting to sound like my mom!"

Ignoring Kenzan's nervous stammering, Judai headed towards the exits, only to run smack in someone.

"Ouch! I-I'm sorry…" His stammer was cut off when he caught sight of a familiar blue clad chest, and a warm chuckle reached his ears.

"It's quite alright Judai. No need to apologize." Johan's alluring green eyes were sparkling with hardly suppressed amusement, as if silently laughing at him. Judai pouted slightly, annoyed that Johan found the predicament funny.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing Judai." Had it been anyone but Johan, Judai probably would've growled at them angrily in his mind and walked away. As it was, it was Johan laughing at him, and he felt his stomach tumble in all sorts of annoying knots. Irritated by his natural reaction to the attractive boy, Judai stomped past the teal haired boy and made his way towards the roof, where he'd originally intended on going before running into Johan.

Once the cafeteria doors swung shut behind him, Judai strode across the grounds, allowing his thoughts to drift. His reaction to the other boy had been slightly intriguing, but had become a natural occurrence as of late. At first, Judai didn't put much thought into the matter, and merely chose to ignore it. However, the dream he'd endured the night before was a haunting reminder that those feelings weren't going to go away anytime soon, and that he'd have to force himself to deal with them sooner or later.

Doing his best to quell the pounding that was beginning to form in his temple, Judai climbed up onto the concrete roof, pausing to remove his shoes before settling down at his favorite spot. Usually he kept his shoes on, but it was unusually hot that particular day; this meant his feet were roasting inside their leather prison.

Already feeling beads of sweat rolling down the back of his neck, Judai allowed his thoughts to drift to the dream that had been haunting him ever since he'd first awaken at the early hours of the morning, around 2 AM to be exact.

It had started out normal enough. He'd been walking through one of the familiar meadows in the back woods, enjoying the breeze that flowed tenderly through his brown locks. He'd been almost convinced that everything was ok, and that he'd been able to enjoy himself when the world had suddenly gone black.

He'd stumbled from surprise, fear pulling at his heart when he realized that he appeared to be walking on a pit of swirling shadows. His natural reaction was to flinch, expecting to feel the all too familiar weightless sensation in his stomach, signaling that he'd fallen into the dark abyss. When a minute had gone by and he'd not yet felt the ground disappear from beneath his feet however, he allowed himself to relax somewhat, finding himself strangely drawn to the dark pit of shadows.

Suddenly, several figures appeared in the distance, their shapes slightly distorted by the blackness hindering his vision. Feeling a strange pull at his chest, Judai stumbled towards them, his arm outstretched in a silent call. However, despite his efforts, he found that he was currently bound to the spot he stood, as if a prisoner in his own mind.

'_**Is there someone you need to protect?' **_Judai gasped, trying to pinpoint the source of the mysterious voice. It seemed to echo all around the almost empty space, touching every place in Judai's confused conscious. After a few moments, he realized that the dark womanly voice was coming from inside his own mind.

After swallowing several times to regain his composure, Judai once again focused on the figures in the distance, trying to make out just who they were. After several tries, he finally managed to bring the figures in focus, identifying them as his normal group of close friends.

His first instinct was to call out to them, as he had done in the dream he'd experienced on the day the transfers were introduced to the academy. However, to his dismay, he found his voice to be completely useless.

Unable to move and rendered completely mute, Judai could do no more than stand still and listen to the voice that was once again making itself known. _**'You wish to protect them, correct?' **_

"_Of course!" _He tried to scream, only to be reminded of his silent state. Resisting the urge to claw at his throat (As if that would help anything), he managed a shaky nod, hoping for it to be a suitable answer to the question.

'_**Your heart is conflicted, uncertain. Therefore, you are unable to call out to them.' **_He wanted to scream at the owner of the voice, tell them just how ridiculous their words were. Yet, as before, not even a small whimper was able to escape his lips.

'_**Now tell me…Who do you want to protect?' **_Growing quite irritated, Judai was about to retort when he felt a dark resistance in the back of his mind, and for a millisecond, a picture flashed behind his eyelids, as if taunting him.

The image had been of a boy, his green eyes wide in fear, and his mouth open wide in a silent scream. His clothes were torn in some spots, and his bruised knuckles were held tight in a permanent fist, as if pounding hard against a wall no one could see. Tears fell unchecked down his face, making the boy look so unusually fragile.

The familiar face made Judai's heart ache with a feeling he'd never experienced before, and he was surprised when the boy's name tumbled from his lips as easily as if he'd known him his while life. "Johan…"

He'd resisted the urge to reach out to the image of his crying friend, knowing deep in his heart he'd been unable to touch the weeping soul. _'Why?'_

'_**There will come a time, when you will have to choose. Whether the decision you make is right or wrong, will be decided by the strength of your heart,' **_He tried to scream, tried to break free from the shadows that were now twisting around his ankles, pulling him down within their depths.

He was unsuccessful however, and he found himself being suffocated in the dark.

He'd waken up then, his body sweaty and trembling uncontrollably. Unable to shake the fear that welled up in his chest whenever he closed his eyes, Judai had chosen to stay awake, knowing he'd be unable to find peace in his slumber.

'_What did it all mean?' _He wondered for perhaps the hundredth time that morning, despite being nowhere closer to discovering the answer than he'd been earlier. _'In the future, will I be forced to choose between my friends and Johan?'_

The thought alone made his stomach drop, as if he'd swallowed a bag of bricks. It made him want to retch, because he knew he'd be rendered absolutely helpless if that particular situation were to occur. The thought of losing his friends hurt as if he'd been stabbed, but for some reason, the thought of Johan, broken and alone in the dark prison in the still flash he'd seen made him feel like he'd been crushed by a thousand pounds of weight. The thought was simply unbearable.

It was frightening how much the teal haired boy had come to mean to him; it was as if something had been awakened from deep inside his heart. It consumed him, left him drowning in feelings he was unable to comprehend. He wanted to reach out, to wrap himself within the warmth of the other's arms, and listen to the strong heartbeat echoing throughout his chest. The thought was calming, and Judai felt a warm sensation ripple throughout his body, effectively relaxing his rigid being.

"Judai?" At first, he thought his mind was playing tricks on him. However, when a warm body settled down beside him on the concrete, he was forced back into reality.

He sighed, sitting up to acknowledge Johan's presence. "Yeah? What is it Johan?"

Johan raised an eyebrow at this, startled due to Judai's unusual greeting. "Are you alright?"

For some reason, Judai simply couldn't bring himself to lie to Johan. It felt wrong. Which puzzled him, since he'd effectively managed to lie through his teeth to Kenzan and Shou when asked the very same question.

A guilty feeling settled in his stomach, and he mentally decided to make it up to the two later. After all, they were some of his most faithful friends, and didn't deserve to be completely pushed aside in favor of someone else, which was ultimately what he'd done.

It was then that he realized that Johan was still waiting for answer, his eyes surveying him patiently. Judai felt a blush rising to his cheeks (Whether from his embarrassment because he spaced out, or because Johan was staring at him, he didn't know), and unconsciously turned away. "I guess that depends on what you see as 'okay' I guess. I honestly don't even know what's wrong with me."

It was silent for a moment, as each party pondered the confusing answer. Judai didn't know what had compelled him to say it, however, he knew instantly that it was the truth. After all, whenever he was with Johan, he couldn't help but talk from the depths of his heart.

And hearts never lied.

He was broken out of his thoughts when a pair of comforting arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him into a lopsided embrace. "Judai, please talk to me. You don't usually seem to be the type to give someone the cold shoulder."

Judai closed his eyes, allowing the feel of the others skin to break through the barrier he'd been attempting to erect around himself. He shivered when Johan squeezed his shoulder gently, and swallowed hard to keep himself from reacting too openly to the innocent gesture. "Arigatou Johan. Gomenasai, I never meant to make you feel like I was angry or anything."

Johan smiled, a simple gesture that sent a shiver down his spine down to the tips of his fingertips. "It's quite alright. I'm just worried about you, that's all. So come on, spill."

Judai would have rolled his eyes had the situation not been as serious as it was, however he simply chose to ignore the urge to react. "Well, to be truthful, I had this…Weird dream last night…"

The other boy's hold didn't slack, in fact if anything, it got tighter. "Go on."

Judai took a deep breath to steady himself before continuing. "I was…Terrified. I was being held by a bunch of shadows, and everyone was standing on the horizon. But I couldn't reach them! And then this voice appeared inside my head and started talking to me…It asked, 'Who I wanted to protect?' When I tried to tell it I wanted to protect my friends, it said that I wasn't sure….And then…"

For obvious reasons, Judai felt reluctant to bring up Johan's role in his strange nightmare. He was a little afraid of what Johan would think. Would he disregard his theory? Tell him it was just a dream? Would he scare his best friend away if he revealed just WHY he felt that way?

"Judai…There's more isn't there? What aren't you telling me?"

Judai hesitated, scolding himself for making it so obvious that he was trying to hide something from the other. "Well…I…Saw you…You were hurt, crying…Screaming for me…And I couldn't do anything….I…More than anything…I realized I wanted to save you more…And when I saw you like that…So broken and helpless…I swear I wanted to…I wanted to DIE." Tears ran unchecked down his face, his eyes closed tightly, trying to hinder their path to the ground. It did nothing but encourage them however, and his silent tears slowly turned into powerful sobs.

Within the depths of his mind, he couldn't figure out just why he was acting the way he was. It had been so long since he'd last cried, so long that the drops of salty water almost felt foreign against his skin. It just wasn't something he DID.

However, in this case, he simply couldn't help it. He needed it. It seemed as if every emotion that spilled out of him had been building up over a lifetime, just waiting to be expelled from the very depths of his soul. To some, this would be an exaggeration, and they would then question his sanity.

To Johan however, it was a silent scream to tighten his hold around the sobbing brunet, turning him around so Judai leaned against his chest, wrapped completely in the fading cotton of Johan's school uniform.

Johan sighed softly and began to run his fingers through Judai's hair, which held a slightly silky texture despite it's ragged appearance.

To Judai, the gentle touch of the other was enough to calm his fears, and slow the flow of tears. He could feel Johan's heart pounding gently against his ear, causing a small blush to grace his cheeks, thankfully going unnoticed by the other boy. "Johan…"

He could hear the soft smile in Johan's voice, causing his heart to flutter in content. "It's all right Judai. Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

Johan's words would have been reassuring, had he not played such a vital role in the nightmare. Judai could tell, that whatever it was, they WOULDN'T be able to face it together. He'd be forced to make the decisions on his own, without the back up and support he was used to.

"But Johan, what if the nightmare…What if it WASN'T just a nightmare? What if I really have to choose between my other friends and you!?"

"Well, then you choose them of course." Judai stared at Johan as if he was mad, which some people wouldn't doubt for a second.

"Are you crazy!? I'd never abandon you!"

"But you'd abandon them Judai?"

The words struck a cord in his heart, and it took everything he had to keep his voice from breaking. "O-Of course not. I…I just…"

Johan merely continued sending him a skeptical look, not bothering to inquire as to why the brunet was stuttering so much. He knew Judai would tell him eventually.

Suddenly feeling fragile, Judai took hold of Johan's hand, squeezing it tightly. Johan's expression turned into one of complete confusion, having not expecting the sudden bold action from the other boy. "Judai?"

Silently hoping Johan could feel the emotion racing through his body at the simple contact, Judai finally managed to find his voice. "Johan, if I asked you to do something…Would you do it? No matter what it was?"

"Judai? What-"

"Just answer the question."

It was silent for a moment, before Johan nodded silently, his eyes glued to Judai's own. "Now what's this all about?"

Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, Judai finally managed to force the question that'd he wanted to ask for a while now through his lips. "Johan, will you…Kiss me?"

The gasp the other omitted with barely audible, but Judai heard it clearly. After a second of silence, it occurred to Judai JUST WHAT he'd done. But it was too late to go back on it now, after all, wasn't that part of the point? To put your heart on the line, in a way to show the other how you felt about them?

Seeing the emotions flashing in the other's emerald eyes however, settled the beat of his heart, which had begun to race in his nervousness. The flush refused to leave his cheeks however, especially when his name fell from Johan's lips. "Judai…" The quiet passionate tone he used almost made Judai shiver, but he forced himself to hold back, reminding himself that Johan hadn't given his official answer quite yet.

Suddenly, Judai felt himself being yanked towards the other, their hands still held tightly together. He opened his mouth to retort, but was abruptly silenced when a pair of warm, wet lips pressed gently, but firmly against his own.

His eyes widened in surprise, especially pressed more insistently, probably alarmed by the lack of response. Once it finally registered just what was happening however, he allowed his eyes to drift closed with a dreamy sigh, pressing into the kiss with as much force as he could muster.

It was a new experience for Judai, who'd never been through anything of the sort. Romance just wasn't something he thought about, he'd never really considered it before. Until then, he focused his entire life around his love for dueling, which left barely any time for anything else. To most people, this would be quite odd, since most boys his age were suffering from major hormonal changes. However, most of his friends had come to terms with the fact that Judai was just naturally an oblivious person, and had chosen to ignore it.

They parted for a second to catch their breath before Johan swooped in again, claiming his lips in yet another tender kiss. Judai unconsciously moaned into the other's mouth when Johan's hands rubbed patterns on his skin, feeling his body react automatically to his touch.

The feeling was so powerful it was frightening. It seemed as if he'd truly been aching for Johan's touch, which in a way, maybe he had been.

Slowly, their lips parted, and both struggled to ensnare oxygen within their lungs once more.

"Johan..?" His lips still tingled with sensations where the other's had been moments before, and the flush became more apparent as it slowly sunk in.

Johan just kissed him.

Johan merely smiled, and that's when Judai realized just how much he understood. He knew of Judai's feelings, he didn't need to say anymore.

Judai returned the gentle smile, feeling quite content. Sure, danger lurked around the corner, but there was no hurt in enjoying the little peace he had left.

It wasn't until about a week or two later that Judai learned just what his dream had meant.

But he'd rescued everyone--rescued Johan. That's all that mattered.

AN: Ok, this was RANDOM. So don't flame if you don't like how I changed the chain of events a little, because it was just a random thought. Most of this wrote itself to be honest. XD lolz I hope you like! Please review!!


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